Material - Ros Barber

Question 1

What is Material about? (3 points)

Answer 1

The poem is about the changing role of a mother and the significance of the ‘hanky’ - a metaphor for the caring role and for generational change

The poem is diffused with nostalgia and sadness - the speaker, as a mother, can’t give her children the same style of love and care that her own mother did

Tone of acceptance by the end - the speaker recognises that times change and there’s no point in mourning the loss of a way of life when it has been rendered obsolete

Question 2

What is the structure of Material? (4 points)

Answer 2

The poem comprises nine stanzas of variable length, but the majority are eight lines

There is a notably springy rhythm, suggesting a child’s poem, as the adult recalls the past

As the poem progresses the line, lengths vary, perhaps to indicate change in traditions and disruption of old certainties

The rhyme scheme is irregular, as if the substance of what is said is more important than regularity in construction

Question 3

What is the language and imagery of Material? (4 points)

Answer 3

Voice: first person singular, starting with ‘My mother’ and addressing her in the third person ‘she’

It enables the poet to find significance and meaning in her memories, with understated rather than overwhelming emotion

Personification e.g. ‘where dried up hankies fell in love’ — to create humour

The past is anchored by the use of proper nouns, for example ‘greengrocer George’ and the ‘Comma’ van